Help choosing a new stock for remington 700

erhodes · February 9, 2013, 09:14 PM

Hey guys. I am looking for a new stock for my remington 700 with a 26" bull barrel and chambered in 308. Right now it has a boyd's stock on it and will hold at best 1"-1 1/2" groups at 100 yards with hand loads. The current stock has not been bedded or free floated. It is also an ADL.

I have thought about bedding the rifle but I have no idea how to do that and do not know any gunsmiths around here that do that sort of thing. I will be using this for high power matches and some matches where I will have to move quickly to new shooting positions. I am in shape but not looking to lug around a 20+ pound rifle.

I am not really wanting to spend more than $350 -$400 but I figure with that amount I should be able to get something that will get those groups down.

Any help would be much appreciated.

brmfan · February 10, 2013, 09:29 AM

I'm sure you'll get many good opinions (in that price range check out Stockystocks.com) but HS Precision or B&C will be your best bets. Keep in mind that B&C have different receiver screw torque settings than the standard 65in. Factory spec on my B&C light tactical is only 35in. Proper torque makes big difference w/r/t accuracy.

cw308 · February 10, 2013, 07:06 PM

With a HS Percision Stock your 700, would be the same as the 700P (police)

Nathan · February 10, 2013, 07:31 PM

Simply stated a stock will not improve those groups much.

Now, a barrel will do those groups wonders.

Sending your rifle of to be pillar bedded to a reasonably priced laminate will also improve groups quite a bit. It could also be pillar bedded to the stock you have and be 95% of a bench or tactical stock.

The HS precision will be an improvement, but without bedding, how much 10%....20% maybe...

Good luck. I do my own, do I can't reccomend a smith to send it to.

A quick note on gunsmithing. Gunsmithing is a national occupation. If you find a local guy who says he is super, but is not getting regional or national customers, there's a reason. I would ask here for a name guy in your area, if you care abut that. Then ask him what he has built within the last year. If he has bed a few hunting rifles, who cares. If he can show you groups and trophies, he knows how to do it. I say this because competitors will find him if he makes a winning gun.

eldermike · February 10, 2013, 07:39 PM

What is the trigger pull weight?

jmr40 · February 10, 2013, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Simply stated a stock will not improve those groups much.

If at all. You buy a stock to improve ergonomics, style, weight etc. I've never noted any measurable difference in accuracy even when replacing the cheapest plastic stocks. If the stock is causing poor accuracy it can be corrected with proper fitting to the action. The stock you have has the potential to be as accurate as anything. Glass bedding might help if done right. It is really just improving the fit between action and stock.

On a heavy barreled target rifle where weight is not an issue I prefer the B&C stocks. They do the job just as well as the more expensive stocks. On a hunting rifle where I'm trying to keep weight down then it is McMillan Edge for me. Expensive, but worth the trouble.

PawPaw · February 10, 2013, 07:56 PM

I'm constantly amazed that people would recommend HS Precision.

I know that this isn't the place for political statements, but HS Precision really, truly offended me in 2008. I'll never knowingly own an HS Precision product.

Rimfire5 · February 10, 2013, 08:02 PM

I changed the stock on my Model 700 SPS in .22-250 from the factory tupperware stock to a Bell & Carlson stock with aluminum pillars. At the same time I also changed the Remington trigger that was almost 6 lbs to a Timney trigger set to a smooth 2 lbs.

Shooting hand loads, the combination of the stock and trigger improved the rifle accuracy from 0.662 to 0.419 with 40 grain bullets at 100 yards.

Based upon my experience, I would recommend that you consider changing the trigger when you change the stock.
The trigger was on sale for around $ 80 and the stock was around $250.

The change was well worth the money IMHO.

erhodes · February 10, 2013, 08:28 PM

Thanks for the imput guys. The trigger has a 5 pound pull as it sits. I took 100 hand loads, varying the load from lightest to highest charge, and the best of them would stack on top of each other but leave one flyer out of 5 about an inch - 2 inches outside of the group. This could have just been shooter error but it happened consistently with both my father and I shooting. I would say mine is error but my father was a marine corp. marksmanship instructor so I am less likely to believe that it was error on his part.

What would be a good trigger to replace the stock one with? I go with geissele for my ar's but I don't know what a good one would be for this gun..

steveNChunter · February 10, 2013, 08:34 PM

erhodes- I see you are from NC. I live up here in the mountains near Boone and I know of several reputable gunsmiths in a 50 mile radius of me that would glass bed your stock for around 75 dollars and would also adjust your factory trigger down to about 3 lbs. while they had the action out for no extra charge. As far as floating the barrel you could do that yourself with some sandpaper and a dowel rod if bedding didn't take care of it to your liking. Just doing those things would probably help more than any replacement stock you could buy and it would also be a lot cheaper

erhodes · February 10, 2013, 08:48 PM

Stephen, if you would pm me a few names that I could look up and contact I would appreciate it. $75 is definitely worth a try.

brmfan · February 10, 2013, 10:32 PM

Here's a good read on different stock characteristics.
http://www.chuckhawks.com/rifle_stock.htm

cdbeagle · February 11, 2013, 12:43 AM

I would install a Timney trigger before I did anything with the stock.

eldermike · February 11, 2013, 09:30 AM

If the stock is a thermo-plastic I would change it. If its a composite I would bed it.

February 9, 2013, 09:14 PM	#1
erhodes Member Join Date: January 27, 2013 Location: Triad, NC Posts: 31	Help choosing a new stock for remington 700 Hey guys. I am looking for a new stock for my remington 700 with a 26" bull barrel and chambered in 308. Right now it has a boyd's stock on it and will hold at best 1"-1 1/2" groups at 100 yards with hand loads. The current stock has not been bedded or free floated. It is also an ADL. I have thought about bedding the rifle but I have no idea how to do that and do not know any gunsmiths around here that do that sort of thing. I will be using this for high power matches and some matches where I will have to move quickly to new shooting positions. I am in shape but not looking to lug around a 20+ pound rifle. I am not really wanting to spend more than $350 -$400 but I figure with that amount I should be able to get something that will get those groups down. Any help would be much appreciated.

February 10, 2013, 07:56 PM	#7
PawPaw Senior Member Join Date: December 24, 2010 Location: Central Louisiana Posts: 3,137	I'm constantly amazed that people would recommend HS Precision. I know that this isn't the place for political statements, but HS Precision really, truly offended me in 2008. I'll never knowingly own an HS Precision product. __________________ Dennis Dezendorf http://pawpawshouse.blogspot.com

February 10, 2013, 08:34 PM	#10
steveNChunter Senior Member Join Date: December 14, 2012 Location: Southern Appalachian Mtns Posts: 1,520	erhodes- I see you are from NC. I live up here in the mountains near Boone and I know of several reputable gunsmiths in a 50 mile radius of me that would glass bed your stock for around 75 dollars and would also adjust your factory trigger down to about 3 lbs. while they had the action out for no extra charge. As far as floating the barrel you could do that yourself with some sandpaper and a dowel rod if bedding didn't take care of it to your liking. Just doing those things would probably help more than any replacement stock you could buy and it would also be a lot cheaper __________________ DEO VINDICE

February 11, 2013, 12:43 AM	#13
cdbeagle Senior Member Join Date: January 3, 2012 Location: Justin Texas Posts: 313	I would install a Timney trigger before I did anything with the stock. __________________ Assistant Secretary - U.S. Dry Bean Council

February 10, 2013, 09:29 AM	#2
brmfan Senior Member Join Date: October 21, 2008 Posts: 557	I'm sure you'll get many good opinions (in that price range check out Stockystocks.com) but HS Precision or B&C will be your best bets. Keep in mind that B&C have different receiver screw torque settings than the standard 65in. Factory spec on my B&C light tactical is only 35in. Proper torque makes big difference w/r/t accuracy.

February 10, 2013, 07:06 PM	#3
cw308 Senior Member Join Date: September 2, 2010 Location: Plainview , Long Island NY Posts: 3,863	With a HS Percision Stock your 700, would be the same as the 700P (police)

February 10, 2013, 07:31 PM	#4
Nathan Senior Member Join Date: July 1, 2001 Posts: 6,326	Simply stated a stock will not improve those groups much. Now, a barrel will do those groups wonders. Sending your rifle of to be pillar bedded to a reasonably priced laminate will also improve groups quite a bit. It could also be pillar bedded to the stock you have and be 95% of a bench or tactical stock. The HS precision will be an improvement, but without bedding, how much 10%....20% maybe... Good luck. I do my own, do I can't reccomend a smith to send it to. A quick note on gunsmithing. Gunsmithing is a national occupation. If you find a local guy who says he is super, but is not getting regional or national customers, there's a reason. I would ask here for a name guy in your area, if you care abut that. Then ask him what he has built within the last year. If he has bed a few hunting rifles, who cares. If he can show you groups and trophies, he knows how to do it. I say this because competitors will find him if he makes a winning gun.

February 10, 2013, 07:39 PM	#5
eldermike Senior Member Join Date: January 24, 2013 Location: NC Posts: 545	What is the trigger pull weight?

February 10, 2013, 08:02 PM	#8
Rimfire5 Senior Member Join Date: January 2, 2009 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 922	I changed the stock on my Model 700 SPS in .22-250 from the factory tupperware stock to a Bell & Carlson stock with aluminum pillars. At the same time I also changed the Remington trigger that was almost 6 lbs to a Timney trigger set to a smooth 2 lbs. Shooting hand loads, the combination of the stock and trigger improved the rifle accuracy from 0.662 to 0.419 with 40 grain bullets at 100 yards. Based upon my experience, I would recommend that you consider changing the trigger when you change the stock. The trigger was on sale for around $ 80 and the stock was around $250. The change was well worth the money IMHO.

February 10, 2013, 08:28 PM	#9
erhodes Member Join Date: January 27, 2013 Location: Triad, NC Posts: 31	Thanks for the imput guys. The trigger has a 5 pound pull as it sits. I took 100 hand loads, varying the load from lightest to highest charge, and the best of them would stack on top of each other but leave one flyer out of 5 about an inch - 2 inches outside of the group. This could have just been shooter error but it happened consistently with both my father and I shooting. I would say mine is error but my father was a marine corp. marksmanship instructor so I am less likely to believe that it was error on his part. What would be a good trigger to replace the stock one with? I go with geissele for my ar's but I don't know what a good one would be for this gun..

February 10, 2013, 08:48 PM	#11
erhodes Member Join Date: January 27, 2013 Location: Triad, NC Posts: 31	Stephen, if you would pm me a few names that I could look up and contact I would appreciate it. $75 is definitely worth a try.

February 10, 2013, 10:32 PM	#12
brmfan Senior Member Join Date: October 21, 2008 Posts: 557	Here's a good read on different stock characteristics. http://www.chuckhawks.com/rifle_stock.htm

February 11, 2013, 09:30 AM	#14
eldermike Senior Member Join Date: January 24, 2013 Location: NC Posts: 545	If the stock is a thermo-plastic I would change it. If its a composite I would bed it.